Arguably one of the most influential poets of the 19th century, Percy Bysshe Shelly references ambition in his piece Ozymandius. He subtly includes this by showing the reader, using vivid imagery, the impact that time has on any lasting legacy. The image that comes to mind when Shelly writes “Near them, on the sand, Half sunk a shattered visage lies” is of a broken head lying discarded and disgraced in the sand. This quotation combined with the message from the pedestal which states “My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings; Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!” displays the lengths that someone would go to never be forgotten and therefore the worthlessness of Ozymandius’ act. Ozymandius built an entire city including a giant statue of himself in hope that one day when he passed away he would still be remembered. Shelly’s poem demonstrates to us that any attempts to be remembered are futile as time truly does conquer all including ambition.
